Vincentian Diplomat Elected President of UN Body

PRESIDENT OF THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL, INGA RHONDA KING. (PHOTO CREDIT: UN/RICK BAJORNAS)

NEW YORK, United States, Friday August 3, 2018 –St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ Permanent Representative to the United Nations has been elected to lead the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), and she says she intends to make the year ahead “a defining” one for the body that leads the UN’s ambitious drive for sustainable economic, social and environmental development.

“It promises to be a defining year, which could help set a new course for the work of the Council and the High Level Political Forum (HLPF) held under its auspices,” ECOSOC President Inga Rhonda King said after being voted in as the body’s 74th president.

Calling it an honour to serve, she thanked the Council members and asked for their help moving forward so that ECOSOC and the HLPF could live up to expectations.

She paid special tribute to the current president, Marie Chatardova, whose leadership and vision King said she would continue to rely and build on, with its emphasis on inclusion and participation.

The envoy listed a revived ECOSOC as one of her main priorities.

“With your committed participation, we will revive the ECOSOC using in full, the hard-won innovations introduced by the General Assembly,” she said.

“There has been some dissatisfaction with the functioning of ECOSOC over the recent few years. But in the coming 12 months, let us work together to restore the ‘deliberative function’ of ECOSOC.”

She also cited the HLPF as “the centerpiece” of her priorities, saying that when it meets in the General Assembly, Heads of State and Government will review the entire 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

King argued against focusing solely on what does not work, and urged members to tone down criticism and avoid skipping meetings.

“Let us focus on what does work well and why. Let us reflect on how we can make ECOSOC deliver fully,” she stressed.